Evaluation of Cold-Climate Interspecific Hybrid Wine Grape Cultivars for the Upper Midwest

Abstract

Cold-climate interspecific hybrid wine grape cultivars with largely Vitis ripariaMichx. parentage, including several released since the early-1980s, have created opportunities for new and rapidly expanding grape and wine industries in the Northeast and upper Midwest of the United States. The objective of this study was to evaluate the viticulture performance of a selection of cold-climate wine grape cultivars grown in the upper Midwest, and to provide information on growth, yield, and fruit composition traits. Fruit yield (kg m ^-1cordon) variation among years was not significant for red cultivars; however, white cultivars had significant differences in fruit yield produced during the extent of the study. ‘Marquette’, ‘Maréchal Foch’, and ‘La Crescent’ produced the most consistent yields among years, while ‘Frontenac’, ‘Brianna’, and ‘La Crosse’ were the top yielding cultivars. Fruit composition traits (soluble solids concentration (SSC) and titratable acidity (TA)) measured at harvest, varied among cultivars and years. ‘Marquette’ had the highest average SSC, while ‘Léon Millot’ had the lowest average levels of TA for all years of the red cultivars. Among white cultivars, ‘Brianna’ had the lowest average levels of TA in all years, and ‘La Crosse’ had the lowest average SSC. Differences in seasonal weather patterns among years influenced yield, vine vigor, and fruit composition data. ‘Aromella’ and ‘Vignoles’ were removed from the study due to poor winter survival, and these cultivars are not recommended for commercial production in growing regions with climate conditions similar to Wisconsin.